Rationale: “Experience is, for me, the highest authority.The touchstone of validity is my own experience. No other person’s ideas, and none of my own ideas, are as authoritative as my own experience.” (Carl Rogers 1961).
Both the National Science Education Standards and Gallagher in our text book, Teaching Science for Understanding, define Science Inquiry very much the same way. Gallagher writes, "Inquiry is a term that describes the processes scientists use to carry on investigations and research in generating knowledge and understanding about the natural world." The key word in both definitions is scientists. That is why this lesson plan as well as all future plans I will use will include the theme of science inquiry, and constantly ask the students to Think and Act like a Scientist, so as to begin their experiences in life as a scientist.
That is why I will infuse the concept of inquiry throughout my lessons instead of creating an occasional "inquiry lesson" where scientists' behaviors are occasionally called upon for use. My Stealth Goal of having students Stop and Think ( in lesson1) before acting can easily be incorporated into the next experiential stage where they Stop, Think and Act like a Scientist. The creation of a unit long artifact called the Science Ring which incorporates the 6 Components to Scientific Inquiry (lesson2) will be used for this unit on the Earth, as well as future units. This will be the base on which to build that scientist's perspective and experience needed for continued science learning outside of the school environment. Each lesson in my science class unit plan includes the learning of and activation of skills that reinforce one or more of the six components to scientific inquiry, culminating in the construction of all components by unit's end.
Modeling these behaviors to the students will be of critical importance, as is illustrated in Lesson 7. In order for the students to acquire the science literacy skills to read science texts for data collection, I modeled some literacy skills in the first two segments of the section and then asked the students to work in teams to finish the section. These science literacy skills I am attempting to teach will aid the students in many aspects of their lives, well after they leave school and become lifelong science learners.
In addition to modeling scientist behaviors in order to help the students, I will not restrict my teaching style to standing in front of class and follow a lecture format, which is fine for the students whose sensory preference for learning is auditory. I have designed lessons that teach to tactile learners - (sea floor spreading model ), visual learners - (Drifting continents lesson) , and kinesthetic learners - (density cube activity). This student-centered approach to lesson development will help establish and maintain student interest.
In summary, my classroom will provide all types of learners the experience of being a scientist, where cognitive and technical skills will be modeled, all the while reinforcing the notion that thinking like a scientist can help in other experiences in life.
Rationale:“Experience is, for me, the highest authority. The touchstone of validity is my own experience. No other person’s ideas, and none of my own ideas, are as authoritative as my own experience.” (Carl Rogers 1961).
Both the National Science Education Standards and Gallagher in our text book, Teaching Science for Understanding, define Science Inquiry very much the same way. Gallagher writes, "Inquiry is a term that describes the processes scientists use to carry on investigations and research in generating knowledge and understanding about the natural world." The key word in both definitions is scientists. That is why this lesson plan as well as all future plans I will use will include the theme of science inquiry, and constantly ask the students to Think and Act like a Scientist, so as to begin their experiences in life as a scientist.
That is why I will infuse the concept of inquiry throughout my lessons instead of creating an occasional "inquiry lesson" where scientists' behaviors are occasionally called upon for use. My Stealth Goal of having students Stop and Think ( in lesson1) before acting can easily be incorporated into the next experiential stage where they Stop, Think and Act like a Scientist. The creation of a unit long artifact called the Science Ring which incorporates the 6 Components to Scientific Inquiry (lesson2) will be used for this unit on the Earth, as well as future units. This will be the base on which to build that scientist's perspective and experience needed for continued science learning outside of the school environment. Each lesson in my science class unit plan includes the learning of and activation of skills that reinforce one or more of the six components to scientific inquiry, culminating in the construction of all components by unit's end.
Modeling these behaviors to the students will be of critical importance, as is illustrated in Lesson 7. In order for the students to acquire the science literacy skills to read science texts for data collection, I modeled some literacy skills in the first two segments of the section and then asked the students to work in teams to finish the section. These science literacy skills I am attempting to teach will aid the students in many aspects of their lives, well after they leave school and become lifelong science learners.
In addition to modeling scientist behaviors in order to help the students, I will not restrict my teaching style to standing in front of class and follow a lecture format, which is fine for the students whose sensory preference for learning is auditory. I have designed lessons that teach to tactile learners - (sea floor spreading model ), visual learners - (Drifting continents lesson) , and kinesthetic learners - (density cube activity). This student-centered approach to lesson development will help establish and maintain student interest.
In summary, my classroom will provide all types of learners the experience of being a scientist, where cognitive and technical skills will be modeled, all the while reinforcing the notion that thinking like a scientist can help in other experiences in life.